•Governor Umo Eno
… appoints Prof Philip Afaha as VC, State University of Education
ANTHONY UDOH, Uyo reporting
Akwa Ibom State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has declared a state of emergency in the education sector and approved, among other interventions, the recruitment of additional 2,000 teachers to support the state’s school system.
Governor Eno made the declaration yesterday, Monday October 5, 2026 during the World Teachers’ Day celebration held at Uyo Township Stadium, Uyo.
The governor noted that education is a strong pillar in his development blueprint, the ARISE Agenda.
“Other than the State Ministry of Health that we declared a state of emergency, I hereby declare a state of emergency in the Akwa Ibom State education sector,” he said.
He said the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, will work with the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ubong Umoh, to set up a high-powered committee to look into the sector and come up with a comprehensive document for a standard upgrade in the sector.
“We trust God that as we constitute the committee on the state of emergency in our educational system, we will have deliverables that will make our students continue to record higher scores in their various promotional examinations.
“Once our children are educated, they can easily find their ways in life. And, we must take the education of our children very seriously,” he added.
The governor enjoined all stakeholders in the education sector to collaborate with the state government to enhance the standard of education.
The governor highlighted some of his administration’s achievements in the education sector, including the upgrade of the State College of Education, Afaha Nsit, to a University of Education, and announced the appointment of Prof. Philip Afaha as the pioneer Vice Chancellor.
He also approved the recruitment of 2,000 additional teachers for primary schools, to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the sub-sector.
As part of his welfare packages for teachers, the governor announced a wardrobe allowance of N50,000 for each teacher in the state employ, and a ₦500,000 support for each of the 1,776 registered private schools in the state.
He congratulated the teachers on the celebration, and charged them to be dedicated to their duties to turnaround the sector for the better.
“I want our teachers to work harder and be held accountable in teaching our students; I want them to continue to do training and retraining; let our teachers be in school and stay in school,” he said.
Following a request for support to complete the NUT Secretariat, the governor directed the Inter Ministerial Direct Labour committee to oversee the completion of the structure.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Umoh thanked the governor for his passion for educational development in the state, describing him as a progressive leader who prioritizes change in the educational sector.
He said the governor has demonstrated commendable interest through huge investments in the state educational system at all levels.
Also speaking, the National President of NUT, Comrade Audu Amba, represented by Comrade Ofonime Ekanem, appreciated the governor for his welfare packages for teachers and for his commitment to the transformation of education through model schools, teachers quarters, and others.
In his remark, the State Chairman of NUT, Comrade Edet Emenyi, said it was a momentous day for teachers, and appreciated the governor for keeping faith with teachers in the state, and for being the only governor to personally honour teachers with his presence at the World Teachers Day celebration in the state.
In his keynote address, Prof. Aniedi Usoro described the history of teachers as elaborate and thanked the governor for not just maintaining his status only as an education friendly Governor, but also as a teacher friendly Governor.
He emphasised the need for teachers to be adaptive, value driven and collaborative towards ensuring the success of education in the state.
Prof Usoro called on the Ministry of Education to organise workshops and seminars to upskill teachers to variable global competitiveness in order to produce a generation of teachers that will raise a generation of creative thinkers.
In their separate remarks, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Sunny James and state leaders of all the affiliate unions of NUT, appreciated Governor Eno for his manifest commitment to transforming the education sector, and disclosed the unanimous endorsement of their members for the Governor.
Similarly, one of the newly recruited 1000 teachers, Pastor David Asanga Ukpong appreciated the governor for superintending over a merit-based recruitment exercise in the state, saying teachers who were successful during the exercise have collected their appointment letters and assumed work.
He noted that the newly recruited were delighted to have a governor who is a stickler for excellence and a level playing field for all, and assured that they were ready to vote him back in office in 2027.
High point of the event was the teachers’ official endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; and Governor Umo Eno, for re-election in 2027.
